Conclave, directed by Edward Berger and based on the book of the same name by Robert Harris, takes a sacred ritual of the Catholic Church and turns it into a travesty plagued by every scandal in the book. Rather than a whodunit, it’s more like a “who didn’t do it,” leaving this Catholic reviewer slightly miffed and quite saddened.
I suppose it’s human nature to let one’s imagination run wild about something like a conclave, an event that only a select few have ever had direct experience. Perhaps setting a psychological thriller in this context is understandable. Conclave, strictly from a filmmaking standpoint, excels with compelling storytelling and flawed but relatable characters.
Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is the dean of the College of Cardinals and when the Pope (Bruno Novelli) dies unexpectedly, Lawrence is thrust into a role he has serious doubts about. He’s already experiencing a crisis of faith, yet he’s expected to oversee the election of the new Holy Father. He accepts the role with humility and dignity but immediately becomes an investigator when he finds out that the Pope had met with Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) shortly before his death and had planned to give him the boot. Nobody alive knows why but Tremblay’s on the short list.
Berger deserves kudos for assembling an amazing cast. Fiennes gives the performance of his career as the conflicted Cardinal Lawrence. The inner struggle of the character comes out in the subtle way Fiennes captures the varying emotions Lawrence experiences during the course of the story. Stanley Tucci is Cardinal Bellini, the Secretary of State and close advisor of the deceased pontiff, a name on many minds as the conclave gathers. Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes provides a feminine presence as the one in charge of Casa Santa Marta where all the Cardinals stay during the conclave. She personifies a quiet authority amongst so many men and knows how to keep her eyes and ears open to the subterfuge going on around her.
The character of Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), surprised everyone, especially Lawrence. Benitez was appointed to the church of Kabul as a cardinal “in pectore,” meaning in secret, to protect him from political repercussions in Muslim Afghanistan. When he shows up at the conclave, no one even knew he exists, and he has to convince Lawrence that he’s legit. Through his ministry in a challenging political climate, Benitez has words of wisdom for everyone based on his experiences.
From the perspective of the Catholic Church, however, Conclave offends by taking this sacred ritual which is supposed to inspire faith, humility, and trust in the providence of God, and turns it into a disturbing commentary on human weakness and ambition. The twist at the end of the film is so strange that it left this reviewer scratching her head wondering what people would come up with next to poke at every issue in which the Church is counter-cultural.
Human weakness is a reality in the Church. That’s no surprise to anyone. Having never been in a conclave, I have no idea what one is like. Sitting around voting, and voting, and voting until the right number of votes is achieved sounds, frankly, exhausting and rather dull (with the exception that you’re voting for the Vicar of Christ on earth—that’s pretty awesome). Maybe the kind of politicking and scandal imagined in this story sometimes happens.
However, I choose to believe that most of the Cardinals who get to a conclave and vote are men who try their best to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and participate with the intention to choose the one they believe God is calling to be the next Bishop of Rome. Whether you want to believe that or not, God is still God, and God’s in charge and will always overcome the worst that our human frailties can throw at him. Conclave may not inspire much confidence in the Church’s authority, so it’s a good thing that it’s just a movie and not the truth. Besides, we know that God can take care of everything, even human imperfection.
